The royal commentaries of Peru : in two parts / written originally in spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega; rendred into english by sir Paul Rycaut.

BooK I. Royal Commentaries. Children to thefe idols. The manner of thefe Sacrifices were to rlp open cheir breaíls whilíl: they' were alive, and fo tear out their Hearr and Lungs, with the Blotid of which, whilíl: wann, they fprinkled theirldols: then .rhey i11fpeél:ed i:he Lungs and Hearr, to take an ornen of goqd or bad, and know whether the Sacrifice had been acceptable to the Idol; · then th~y burnt the Emrails; and ate the Flefh chemfelves with great joy and fefüvity, rhough it weré of theit own Child, or orher Relarion of the fame bloud. · B/a1 V11lera a cerrain Authour who in loofe Papers wroce pf the indies, défetibes thofe Nations by dillinguifhing the former from the latter ages, and faith. That thofe who live in Antu ear Mens Fleíh, anq are more brutifh than the BeaílS themfelves, for they know neither God, nor Law, nor Vertue, nor have they IdoIs, or any Woríl1ip; unleís fomerimes when rhe Devil prefems himfelf to rhem in the form of a Ser.pent, or other Animal, they rhen adore and worfüip him. When they take any in the War; ifhe be ah orc:Jin~ry Fellow, they quarcer him, and ~ivide him to be eaten by_ their ~ives, Ch~ldren and ~e~a~ts,, _os perh~ps fell h1m to the Shambles; but if he be of Qg_ahty, or NoD!e, they call their Wives and Children rogether, and like Officers of rhe Devil, rhey füip hini of bis garmems, and rye him to a ílake, and rhen alive as he is, éhey cur him with KniVes, and íh.arp Stones, paring off ilices from the more flefhy parts, as froni · rhe Burrocks, <!álves of the Legs, and the brawny P,laces ofthe Arme; theri w,irh the Bloud they fprinkle the principal Men :md W ornen, and rhe remainder they drink, and eat the Flefh as faíl: as they can, before it is half broiled, leíl: the .mi- ferable WJetch fhoµld dye befare he hath f een his flefh devóúred, and .ir:itombed in thek bowels: The Wornen, more cruel and inhumane thán the Meo, wec the nipples of their Breaíl:s. with the bloud, that fo the Infants which fm;:k iheni rnay take a füare of the Sacrifice. Ali chis is performed by way of a religiou~ O:ffering wirh mirth and triumph, till che Man expires; and then they complete the Feaíl: in devouring ali the remainder of his Fleíh and Bqwels, eating it .with ftlence and reverem:e, as facred, and partaking ofa Deity. If in éxécution of all this torment the Patient was obferved to ftgh and gro:m, or make any diíl:orted faces, then they broak his Bones, anél wirli contempt threw them into the fields an~ w~ters; bue if he app.e<lr,ed íl:out, a~~ enduring the an1p1iíh and pains withciut íhrmkmp at tbetn, th~n bis B~nes and S~news were dr~ed m the ~un,: and fodged on the tops of the h1gheíl: H11ls, where they were deified, and Sacnfices offered to them. _Such are the Idols and mann~r o~ living ?f thefe. füuées, becaufe the Governrnent of the IncM was never rece1ved mto therr Coumrey, nor haéh it any Power there at this day. This Generation ofMen carne óut fróm the paris about '111exico~ ~nd fpread themfelve's_ from.Panama and Darien? óver ali thofe gréat moun- , tams wrudj run.as f~r as th~ new ,Kingd.om of qranada, and on the orher fide as far as rhe Cape of St. Manhtt, AH wh~ch part1culárs we have received from Fa~ ther Bla1 Va/era, who in the Narrative he gives of théir Lives and Manners much more aggravates their diabolical Praétices, tllari by a:ny thing we have here rn- lated. But othét Jndia~s I:fs 9Vel,. an,d of ~ more ~ild.Narur~. though ihey mingled ' humane Bloud w1rh their Sacnfices, yet they d1d 1t not w1th rhe death ofany ; but drew it from Veins ,óf rhe Arme' or Leg, or from the Nofuils, in cafe of j)ains in the Hea.d, aµd frorh oiher part:S, as the nature or folemríity of the Sacri~ fice required. Others offered Sheep, and Lambs, Conies, Parrridges, and aii forts of Fówl, Herbs, and the Cocar-Nut, fd much ~ elleem atñórigfl them, with théir Mayz, which is á fort ofWheat, as alfo Pulfe, Annife and Cummiri, and fwe"et Woods; which rendred a perfume~ the which were feverally facrificed according ro the narure of the Deicy they adored. And thtis much füall be füffi- cient to have been delivered cdncerning their Sacrifkes, and Gods of thé Ancient Gentilifm, / 1 I é.HA P. 7